The Homecoming

By William Hyde

This story is about the children of Altonan and Stephanie Arkonan, Altonan the Third, and Sara Elizabeth. After bringing them up on the Wyoming ranch where Stephanie grew up, the Lord of the Earth decides he's had enough of the constant turmoil produced by the denizens of that planet, and convinces his wife to move to Novu Ang Heloca, the place where the remnants of his own people are flourishing. Unfortunately, trouble followed him and he and his whole family have to solve a few interstellar incidents. Altonan and Stephanie allow their offspring to take the reins as they try to ease into retirement.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664174627

William Hyde

Throughout the last part of his working life as a locomotive engineer, Bill Hyde dreamed of this story. Upon retirement he couldn't get the story out of his head, and finally, reluctantly putting fingers to keyboard he started to write it. At last, after years of slow-going, he finished the story. He lives in the Cariboo region of British Columbia,Canada with his wife and almost grown children, and he is now working on the next book of this trilogy.

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Copyright © 2021 by William Hyde.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 05/12/2021

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CONTENTS

Prequel

Chapter 1 Life is but a Dream

Chapter 2 Current Events

Chapter 3 The Early Years

Chapter 4 With the Best of Intentions

Chapter 5 Coming to Grips with Reality

Chapter 6 Politics, Politics

Chapter 7 Endings, and Beginnings

Chapter 8 Melancholy

Chapter 9 Resolution

Chapter 10 Altonan the Third

Chapter 11 Sara Elizabeth

Chapter 12 A foolish Gambit

Chapter 13 Ninti’s Dreams

Chapter 14 The Call of the War Pipes

Chapter 15 Home Again

Chapter 16 The purging of Newtown

Chapter 17 The Oronomo Enigma

Chapter 18 Amateur Diplomacy

Chapter 19 Unknown Unknowns

Chapter 20 Cleanup Time

Chapter 21 The Reckoning

Chapter 22 Aftermath

Chapter 23 Time for a Change

Chapter 24 New Ideas, New Quests

Chapter 25 Caught in the Middle

Chapter 26 Too Many Complications

Chapter 27 Be an Optimist

Chapter 28 The Big Play

Chapter 29 Is This the Answer, or Just Another Question?

Chapter 30 When Disaster Strikes

Chapter 31 Multiple Errors and Miscalculations

Chapter 32 Everything Always Works Out in the End

Chapter 33 The End of the Beginning

PREQUEL

H e stood in front of them, his two children. His visage was stern, and he seemed thoughtful, serious.

"Omigod, not another sermon!"

Alt-3 gave his little sister a light elbow in the ribs, Sara Elizabeth! Be more respectful of our father. He’s just doing his job, giving us sermons. They both giggled.

Altonan cocked an eyebrow and looked at them fiercely, then his face broke into a huge smile, I love you both more than life itself! Let’s all sit down.

They each chose a place to sit, and he began, "Young Altonan is leaving this house for the first time to attend Oxford on the other side of the world. My darling daughter, on the other hand, is simply finishing her last year of middle school, but she is old enough to hear this.

Despite what you may hear from your peers and teachers, let me assure you, the Earth is not alive. It is not a being. It is not a goddess. It is, however, teeming with life. Still, it is cold and soulless. The planet is indifferent to the lifeforms living upon it, and it is implacable. It will not save you, and you cannot save it. What will be, will be. The world will go on spinning until it stops.

The universities of today are no longer the institutions as they were first conceived. They will neither teach nor inform you, but you must use them and their resources to provide yourselves with an education. They will try to brainwash you. Resist quietly and work towards achieving your educational goals yourselves. Do not join groups. Do not join cults. Do not party. Simply work on your own to get an education. Answer what you must to achieve high marks, but keep the truth in your hearts.

That is all for now. Questions?"

CHAPTER 1

LIFE IS BUT A DREAM

L ife became an idyll. Their world was sunny and bright. All the problems of Earth became forgotten. The child was their focus, and they lived every day for him. Neither parent imagined they could wish for anything else. Stephanie felt fulfilled, and Altonan was amazed. In all his long life he had never imagined that he should be gifted with such a state of being as fatherhood and he resolved to put all his efforts and might into bringing up a perfect man from this perfect baby. Stephanie was pleased with the child’s vibrant health, his alertness and curiosity, and she felt that all bode well for the future. When it came to their baby they were as one. In other words, they were typical first time parents, determined to use every means at their disposal to do the best they could for their little one.

In the child’s third month they began to plan for a visit to see the paternal great-grandparents, who resided on a far off planet, Novu Ang Heloca. Altonan hadn’t been getting enough rest and seemed always sleepily distracted, so all the planning was left up to Stephanie.

I’ve talked to Sara. Aechop can’t get away from his new responsibilities, so I think we should take little Altonan to see them…what do you think? Stephanie wondered. Like all Ang Helocan parents they communicated aloud in front of their child, since his telepathy wouldn’t begin to develop until puberty.

Oh sure…, he mumbled, lots of people to see…everyone probably wants to see our baby… He drifted away from the conversation and began to imagine everyone they knew on Novu Ang Heloca. He was sitting on a space-age lawn chair holding his sleeping son, and his eyes went once again to the slowly moving water of the river, which flowed steadily past their house. Thinking aimlessly once more of a rainbow trout fighting fiercely on a fishing line, his head gradually eased back on his chair and his eyes closed.

She sighed as she watched her man shake himself awake and jerk his head up, glancing guiltily at the somnolent child on his lap. At night, he insisted on rising and going to the nursery every time he heard the slightest sound, bringing little Altonan to her if he thought it was time to nurse. Naturally, this routine caused him to be constantly exhausted.

She grinned to herself, saying to him, Relax sweetie, I’ll get in touch with Sara and tell her when we’re coming. I think right now I’ll take Princess for a ride and ask Saagah if he wants to come with us when we go. Oh, and I suppose we should talk to Ninti as well, but I don’t don’t suppose she’ll be able to get away from her studies. After all, her semester just started a month ago.

She glanced briefly at her virtual comm. device, Hmm…it’s the middle of the night in New Zealand. We’ll have to call her after dinner when she’s up.

It turned out that Saagah felt that his duties required him to stay behind and look after things in their absence, so he demurred. The big Slag actually preferred the solitude of the mountain to being around humans. There was much to do there, doing his rounds on the big Arabian stallion that Stephanie’s brother, Kerry, had found for him. Saagah’s oryx had not liked the colder climate of his master’s new home and had desired to be returned to Novu Ang Heloca, so Kerry had kindly presented the huge horse to him, laughing that it was an almost big enough replacement for his elk-sized mount. At any rate, when the weather was unpleasant enough, Saagah used a troop transport to do his rounds.

Returning to the house she managed to coax her sleepy husband to go riding with her, and after dropping baby off, in town with grandma and grandpa, they had a nice ride that afternoon on Princess and No-Name, exploring their surroundings, climbing higher and higher on the mountain where neither of them had ever been before, returning only when Stephanie’s breasts urgently determined that it was quite about time to nurse little Altonan.

*     *     *

The days passed quickly, in this manner. There was much to do with a newborn, and the ranch work wouldn’t wait, and adding to this, the planning for their trip took up all the remaining hours in the day. There were many loose ends to tie up and many arrangements to be made, but Altonan managed to shake himself out of his stupor at last and he and Saagah spent many evenings with their heads together, sometimes dropping down to the main house to discuss things with Kerry, and other times heading into Caspar to make arrangements with Benjamin or Elizabeth.

If the weather held, the haying would have to be done on the high meadow within two weeks, so Ben eagerly volunteered to come up and assist Saagah with the job. On the other hand, if there was intervening rain, then it would probably have to wait until the Arkonan’s returned, thus sparing the old man the effort, although Altonan reassured his father-in-law that he could still come up and help out if he liked, and Ben allowed that he’d like that very much. Stephanie made sure that Saagah was aware that her father would love to get back into the thick of things but warned him not to let the old man overdo it. Her father had not adjusted well to retirement in town and missed ranch life considerably, often yearning to get back into the thick of it. Saagah had assured her that he was capable of handling everything by himself, if need be, but he would allow her father to help out as much as possible without letting the old man put himself at risk. He told her that Altonan needn’t worry, everything would be fine.

Inevitably, he dragged himself away from ranch concerns, they packed their bags, said their goodbyes, and finally the three of them were sitting in their cobra hurtling out of the Solar System toward their other faraway home.

CHAPTER 2

CURRENT EVENTS

T he trip to Novu Ang Heloca was uneventful. When they arrived it was early morning so they proceeded directly to the home of Aechop and Sara. After warm greetings, a hearty breakfast and much catching up on the news, it was time for Aechop to go to his office. Altonan decided to leave Stephanie with Sara, as she had to nurse little Alt-3 and get some rest. He walked with him to work so they could discuss the various situations that had evolved in the Caves and on the planet since they had returned to Earth, stopping frequently to talk with people who hadn’t seen him for some time, and welcomed him back heartily.

Entering Aechop’s office, Altonan was delighted to see Morag sitting at her desk as she always had. She squealed with joy and moving around her desk she rushed forward and enveloped him in a big hug. Then, red with embarrassment she stepped back and curtsied, saying, It’s so good to see you again my Lord…but where is the little one? I was so wanting to see him!

Oh, don’t worry, Steph will bring him around this afternoon. They’re with Sara now, resting.

At that moment, the Archon Gaalloo stepped out of Aechop’s office where he’d been waiting since the office opened. Greetings, my Lord, I have some news to impart and I must ask your advice on an alarming situation concerning the Oronomo.

*     *     *

Altonan listened carefully to Gaalloo’s account of a spy-satellite that MAX-3 had placed in synchronous orbit over the Oronomo city during the previous year, so that the A.I. could monitor activities under the surface of the ocean. A few days before his arrival, a clumsy looking missile had erupted out of the ocean and laboriously made its way into space. It was directed at the uncloaked and undefended satellite that everyone had assumed was out of reach of the Oronomo ever since it had been placed there, and it detonated a small atomic explosion of no more than one kiloton when it reached its objective, completely disabling it. He apologized for not reporting this to Altonan while he was preparing to leave Earth, but explained that he got involved in an intense investigation of the event, and had been intent on gathering as much information as possible to present to him now. Historians came to refer to this event as the beginning of the long ‘faux-war’, but at the moment it was just an unexpected attack on a spy satellite.

Altonan was shocked at the level of technological achievement by the Oronomo, which up until this latest event had been assumed to be slightly more advanced than than the Orowash people. Wow! This changes everything. I had thought that simply monitoring them was the smartest course to take, but now I guess we have to reassess everything.

I agree, replied the Archon Gaalloo. I suppose you want to bring in MAX and the other A.I.s?

Of course, they debrief each other constantly. We’ve got enough computing power right here on Novu Ang Heloca, but I would like to go visit the Dreaming Prophet and see what he has to say.

Very well, my Lord, though I dislike engaging with fortune tellers and other such charlatans!

Oh really, Gaalloo?… he’s not an actual prophet, y’know, that’s just how the Sloorid have always superstitiously referred to him. He’s basically an archivist. He’s loaded with useful information about every one, and everything.

Well, he certainly hasn’t come up with any useful information concerning the current situation. No warnings…no data…nothing!

Altonan sighed with exasperation, "Try to understand, my friend, his people have always maintained neutrality. He won’t be a spy for us. He wishes to respect the xenophobic nature of the Oronomo, but he will answer questions about them if directly asked."

Altonan then contacted MAX and arranged for a visit the next day. Be sure and explain to Ra’al that Steph and I were planning to bring little Altonan for a visit soon, but that this isn’t the visit. This is strictly a fact finding mission, but I will be bringing one of my wife’s treats for him.

The next morning the two left for Ra’al’s cave in Gaalloo’s personal fighter and Altonan noticed that the big Slag looked distinctly nervous. Have you never met the Dreaming Prophet before? he asked. You know, he’s a wealth of information about everything. You really would do well to cultivate his friendship.

No, I’ve never had the opportunity to meet him, but I heard that he’s a mentor of the Sloorid people, and considering my involvement in the two wars we’ve had with them, I have thought it best to keep out of his way. I hear he’s quite huge!

Altonan grinned, Well yeah, he’s big alright, but really, he’s a pussycat! Ragan would have been happy to take you to meet him.

I do not know what is a ‘pussycat’ but I am truly sorry that I have not met your expectations as an Archon. I shall endeavor to do better.

Hey…cut the crap! You’re doing fine, and I’ve got no complaints. I didn’t expect you to be a seasoned diplomat, you know…and I’m actually quite pleased with your performance.. You’ve enabled us to stay on Earth worry free, for quite a while now.

Uh…well thank you, my Lord. I am happy to serve.

I can imagine that you feel quite isolated here now since the other Slag Kornans have left. Do you not get to see your friends who stay with the oryx anymore?

No, they are quite content to stay in the wilderness with their four-legged companions. They are quite uncomfortable when they come into Newtown for supplies. I see them on those occasions, but they never stay long.

Maybe it would be good if you built a home out there where they live. It would be quite easy to commute with your personal fighter, and you know, you don’t really have to live on base in the barracks.

Well…I suppose not. I’ll give it some thought, my Lord.

At this point they had disembarked the small craft and were walking into the open area in front of Ra’al’s cave, where they beheld the giant peacefully sitting in quiet contemplation.

Ah…hello, I have been expecting you. Please join me. I am brewing some nice herbal tea.

We would be pleased to, but for me…no tea. This is the Archon Gaalloo, as you already must know. Gaalloo, this is Ra’al, the Dreaming Prophet.

The big Slag stepped forward hesitantly and performed an awkward bow, saying, I am happy to meet you.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Do not be nervous, my friend. I am not going to sit on you."

Well, that’s sure a relief! laughed Altonan. We came to pick your brains about the Oronomo’s rapid technological development. What can you tell us?

All in good time, my friends…but first I shall serve this tall gentleman some tea, and for you…I think you would like your usual cup of water. Please, draw some for yourself from the sacred pool.

He handed Altonan a crude cup and then dipped another into a huge pot over the fire and handed it to Gaalloo. The big Slag took the cup tentatively and then sipped it. His face lit up immediately and he he stated unequivocally, This is excellent! Very strong! Very powerful! It must be very healthy for anyone who drinks it! He looked at the Lord mischievously and Altonan rolled his eyes.

The large, naked host then settled down on his haunches and pondered for a minute and at last began to speak, Well, you must remember when you first encountered them? They possessed an abundance of powered vehicles. They were well advanced technologically but you assumed that they were just a little more advanced than their cousins the Orowash, when actually, they were far ahead of them.

Gaalloo stifled an irritated response that the Dreaming Prophet could have informed him of these important facts, but wisely refrained, remembering the Lord’s admonition that the huge being insisted on remaining neutral.

Ra’al then spent the next two hours telling the story of the Oronomo’s fear of outsiders. They were outcasts from the beginning since they were different in appearance. They bred well and their numbers increased rapidly until they formed a quite noticeable segment of the community. They were not warlike in any way and and they were far more cerebral than the Orowash and so inevitably the resentment against them grew and grew. They began to move farther and farther away, forming their own closed towns and villages, leaving their more volatile relatives to fight among themselves, and then one day, one of their exploring expeditions discovered the vast shoals in the South Polar Sea and they relocated their entire population there, where they have survived and prospered ever since. Unfortunately, their experience of being outcasts resulted in a…turning inwards. They came to trust no one but themselves. They worked constantly on their defensive fortifications and their defensive weaponry. They did not strive for a military dominance so that they could defeat their enemies and take over their waters. No, they wanted nothing to do with any…shall we say…others. For centuries they have lived in a peaceful society, but always among them, there were those who advised developing a…um…a ‘first strike capability’, to use a Terrestrial term, and no one listened to them, but since your initial mapping project discovered them, Altonan, their fear has caused them to reconsider the alarmists’ advice. I suppose the attack on your observer satellite could still be considered a defensive move, but it forebodes a new, more aggressive stance.

They sat and pondered for several moments, and then Gaalloo spoke up, "I suggest we put up a new satellite, protected by a defensive force-field and cloaked, but placed farther away from the city rather than directly overhead. We could still observe just as much from an oblique angle but maybe they wouldn’t take offense so quickly."

That’s an excellent idea, Gaalloo, responded Altonan. You believe they wouldn’t be able to detect the new spybot? What do you think, Ra’al?

"Me? What do I think? I believe that they will persist in developing their technology until they can detect it. They’ll surely assume that you will replace it, even if you were to ultimately decide against it."

The Archon was upset with himself. I’m sorry my Lord that I have allowed this threat to evolve right under my nose. I was complacent!

Uh, I’m the one that originally overlooked the situation. I’m afraid that I must take responsibility for the initial mistake. I was so anxious to get the whole treaty thing with the Orowash over and done with, that I was glad to let it go and get back to my life. So, now we know! Time to get busy with our spybots.

Gaalloo looked hopefully at Ra’al, "Perhaps our friend could help us a little more? What is their present philosophical stance on war, at the moment?

Ra’al paused for a few moments and then stated in a matter of fact way, Since the moment of your first intrusion into their waters, they have instituted a crash program in space technology, completely bypassing the normal development of aircraft, at least normal for a land-based species. Undoubtedly, they will develop spacecraft similar to your own which can operate in the atmosphere as well as the oceans. They have always used the radioactive material they found so readily in their waters, and they have invented a cold fusion method of supplying new energy for their whole society as well as the new war machines they are designing for both the atmosphere and space. Be warned… they’re an unusually innovative people and their creativity is unparalleled!

There was a stunned silence in the little glade of the Dreaming Prophet. Finally, the one to speak first was MAX, Ra’al, is this simply a strengthening of their defensive posture to respond to the challenge of Altonan’s technology, or are they preparing for an all out war of aggression?

I’m sorry to say that nothing is definite. There has been a massive war of words going on within their society since they first noticed your treaty party approaching their shoals and then retreating. Since you put up that observer satellite just over a year ago the argument has been raging back and forth with no clear winner on either side. What they did agree to, was to initiate several crash courses in the sciences and accelerate their industrialization. They all agree that they have to catch up with you, their perceived enemy.

Well, this is a revelation! Altonan finally said. Let’s get back to the Caves and inform everyone of the new situation."

One more thing, Altonan, the deep voice of the prophet rumbled across the glade. I wish to know…What stance are you planning to assume in this conflict? In your position of Lord of the Earth you decided to meddle in that planet’s internal matters…I would now ask of your intentions as Lord of Novu Ang Heloca.

Well, I’m disappointed Ra’al! Surely you know me well enough by now to understand that I only want a state of peaceful coexistence among all the people on this world.

Ah yes, I realize what your heart says, but I’m not sure what your brain is telling you. You manage your aura quite expertly now. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to give offense.

None taken, my friend.

Altonan then rose to his feet and shook the prophet’s huge hand. You have provided a wealth of helpful information and I am grateful, but now we must go. Stephanie and I will return soon and introduce you to our son. Until then, stay well.

The Dreaming Prophet watched the two walk away toward their small craft, ‘Interesting,’ he thought to himself, not wishing to let MAX hear him, ‘but you didn’t answer my question, did you?’

*     *     *

After they returned from their visit with Ra’al, Altonan took Stephanie and their son to see Ragan at his castle in Clatolchkin. The Sloorid leader was pleased to see them and held the tiny being gingerly in his large hands for several minutes as they discussed various improvements made with the help of the local elites. A school had been built in the town and many new roads had been constructed to connect the outlying areas. Within the town itself a rudimentary sewage system was being installed before concrete byways were built over them.

Inquiring of the state of affairs concerning the many Sloorid cities across the Great Plain, they were pleased to learn that the old capital, Ska, had capitulated, making peaceful overtures and pleading for the resumption of trade between the two cities. Some of the more southerly city-states still maintained a belligerent attitude toward Clatolchkin but restricted their military sorties to small raids on Ska which they now considered to be allied with Ragan. Altonan advised the Oklit to support Ska militarily and offered to build a Roman style road across the prairie, thus connecting the two cities for quicker access for both parties. This delighted the monarch and MAX-3 was informed of the project and ordered to start work on the project immediately.

Altonan then suggested that whomever was presently in charge in Ska be appointed as governor by Oklit Ragan. Following up on his offer to build the highway to Ska, he suggested the that citizens of the Caves could be used to supply Ang Helocan expertise and Sloorid laborers from both cities be used along side them. He was quite aware that his A.I. was quite capable of building the whole thing much more rapidly but he wanted to foster some community spirit and also demonstrate to the people of Ska that Ang Helocans were quite willing to work side by side with Sloorid. Some of the mounted archers from the Caves squadron would guard the work parties along side of Sloorid soldiers from both Clatolchkin and Ska. Thus, after a day of community building and a fine dinner in the castle, the Arkonans took their leave of their old friend and rode slowly back to the Caves on their oryxs, chatting quietly under the bright starlight.

*     *     *

The next morning found them in their cobra, winging their way across the ocean to their home in Newtown. As they were settling in, they were surprised to see the McLarens, wending their way up their driveway in Charlie’s old corvette. Both Colin and Elaine bounced out of the convertible like teenagers and rushed to give hugs all around, stopping with Altonan the Third, whom they insisted on carrying around for the rest of their visit.

It’s so good to see you guys again, enthused Elaine, and look at this little sweetie! She held the little fellow above her head and then hugged him when he began to giggle.

Colin clapped his arm around Altonan’s shoulder, It’s been too long, my friend! I hope you’re planning on staying a decent length of time.

Maybe a couple of weeks, maybe a couple of months, Colin. It’s good to be back, and we want to live in our house here for awhile. We missed you guys, too!

Well, we’re throwing a big bash at our place in your honour tomorrow evening, so make sure you show up! I was hoping Ninti would be with you…

Oh, she’s in the middle of a semester in New Zealand and she couldn’t get away. This little trip was kind of…spur of the moment, you know?

Oh well, put in Elaine, there’s nothing stopping us from making a visit to Earth, is there dear? She poked her husband in the ribs with her free hand.

Colin sighed, No, I suppose not. It would be easier than trying to get any of our offspring to bring their families here for a visit.!

After the MacLarens left they decided to drop in to ‘Charlie’s Place and visit their old friend Admiral Potter.

They entered the pub and Cliff ‘s face lit up with joy at the sight of them. Stephanie! Altonan! I didn’t know you two were back! It sure is good to see you two! You three, I should say. Lemme see the little guy!

Stephanie handed her son over the counter to Cliff, who gently took him and carefully settled him into the crook of his arm. He then called one of his employees to stand behind the bar while he carried the little fellow around the place,